1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to anti-theft devices particularly for use in vending machines.
2. The Prior Art
In some locations vending machine owners and operators experience continual and chronic problems with vandalism and theft from the machines. It has become standard practice to have a guard door which is linked to the product access door such that when a purchaser pushes or pulls or rotates the product access door open, the guard door automatically closes thereby blocking any access to the supply of unvended products. However, even with such an arrangement there had been problems with theft from such machines wherein the machines are toppled forward or sideways, causing products to be dropped from the product delivery modules, passed the open guard door mechanism and into the product access area where they may be freely accessed and improperly removed. Since it is impossible at times to keep the machines from being overturned during an attempted theft, there has been a need for a mechanism which would collect the products improperly removed from the vending modules from an area where they might be accessed by the individuals attempting to steal them. There has also been a need for an improved anti-theft device which could, at a reasonable price, be retrofitted onto vending machines already on the field.